The Last Embassy : The Dutch Mission of 1795 and the Forgotten History of Western Encounters with China

From the acclaimed author of The Gunpowder Age , a book that casts new light on the history of China and the West at the turn of the nineteenth century George Macartney's disastrous 1793 mission to China plays a central role in the prevailing narrative of modern Sino-European relations. Summarily dismissed by the Qing court, Macartney failed in nearly all of his objectives, perhaps setting the stage for the Opium Wars of the nineteenth century and the mistrust that still marks the relationship today. But not all European encounters with China were disastrous. The Last Embassy tells the story of the Dutch mission of 1795, bringing to light a dramatic but little-known episode that transforms our understanding of the history of China and the West. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, Tonio Andrade paints a panoramic and multifaceted portrait of an age marked by intrigues and war. China was on the brink of rebellion. In Europe, French armies were invading Holland. Enduring a harrowing voyage, the Dutch mission was to be the last European diplomatic delegation ever received in the traditional Chinese court. Andrade shows how, in contrast to the British emissaries, the Dutch were men with deep knowledge of Asia who respected regional diplomatic norms and were committed to understanding China on its own terms. Beautifully illustrated with sketches and paintings by Chinese and European artists, The Last Embassy suggests that the Qing court, often mischaracterized as arrogant and narrow-minded, was in fact open, flexible, curious, and cosmopolitan.

From the acclaimed author of The Gunpowder Age,a book that casts new light on the history of China and the West atthe turn of the nineteenth century George Macartney'sdisastrous 1793 mission to China plays a central role in theprevailing narrative of modern Sino-European relations. Summarilydismissed by the Qing court, Macartney failed in nearly all of hisobjectives, perhaps setting the stage for the Opium Wars of thenineteenth century and the mistrust that still marks therelationship today. But not all European encounters with China weredisastrous. The Last Embassy tells the story of the Dutchmission of 1795, bringing to light a dramatic but little-knownepisode that transforms our understanding of the history of Chinaand the West. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, TonioAndrade paints a panoramic and multifaceted portrait of an agemarked by intrigues and war. China was on the brink of rebellion.In Europe, French armies were invading Holland. Enduring aharrowing voyage, the Dutch mission was to be the last Europeandiplomatic delegation ever received in the traditional Chinesecourt. Andrade shows how, in contrast to the British emissaries,the Dutch were men with deep knowledge of Asia who respectedregional diplomatic norms and were committed to understanding Chinaon its own terms. Beautifully illustrated with sketches andpaintings by Chinese and European artists, The LastEmbassy suggests that the Qing court, often mischaracterizedas arrogant and narrow-minded, was in fact open, flexible, curious,and cosmopolitan.

From the acclaimed author of The Gunpowder Age, a book that casts new light on the history of China and the West at the turn of the nineteenth century. George Macartney's disastrous 1793 mission to China plays a central role in the prevailing narrative of modern Sino-European relations. Summarily dismissed by the Qing court, Macartney failed in nearly all of his objectives, perhaps setting the state for the Opium Wars of the nineteenth century and the mistrutst that still marks the relationship today. But not all European encounters with China were disastrous. The Last Embassy tells the story of the Dutch mission of 1795, bringing to light a dramatic but little-known episode that transforms our understanding of the history of China and the West. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, Tonio Andrade paints a panoramic and multifaceted portrait of an age marked by intrigues and war. Chian was on the brink of rebellion. In Europe, French armies were invading Holland. Enduring a harrowing voyaage, the Dutch mission was to be the last European diplomatic delegation ever received in the traditional Chinese court. Andrade shows how, in contrast to the British embassaries, the Dutch were men with deep knowledge of Aisa who respected regional diplomatic norms and were committed to understanding China on its own terms. Beautifully illustrated with sketches and paintings by Chinese and European artists, The Last Embassy suggests that the Qing court, often mischaracterized as arrogant and narrow-minded, was in face open, flexible, curious, and cosmopolitan "In the typical narrative of modern Sino-European relations, George Macartney's disastrous 1793 mission to China plays a central role. His failure to open China to trade and diplomatic relations with Britain sets the stage for a long and bitter clash of cultures that led to the Opium Wars of the nineteenth century and perhaps even to the mistrust that still pervades relations today. In this book, Tonio Andrade draws on a wealth of neglected archival material to tell a very different story: that of the last European delegation that was ever received in the traditional Chinese court, the Dutch mission of 1794-95"-- Provided by publisher